Sam peered at them again. “Ain’t you got no tongues in your ‘eads? Am I seeing things again, or are you there?”

“We’re here and we’re real,” said Julian. “We happened to see this old railway yard and we came down to have a look at it. Who are you?”

“I’ve telled you — I’m Wooden-Leg Sam,” said the old man impatiently. “The watchman, see? Though what there is to watch here, beats me. Does they think I’m a-going to watch for them spook-trains? Well, I’m not. Not me, Sam Wooden-Leg. I’ve seed many queer things in my life, yes, and bin scared by them too, and I’m not watching for any spook-trains no more.”

The children listened curiously. “What spook-trains?” asked Julian.

Wooden-Leg Sam came closer. He looked all round as if he thought there might be someone listening, and then spoke in a hoarser whisper than usual.

“Spook-trains, I tell ‘ee. Trains what come outa that tunnel by nights all by theirselves, and go back all by theirselves. Nobody in them. One night they’ll come for old Sam Wooden-Leg — but, ee, I’m smart, I am. I lock myself into my hut and get under the bed. And I blows my candle out so those spook-trains don’t know I’m there.”

Anne shivered. She pulled at Julian’s hand. “Julian! Let’s go. I don’t like it. It sounds all queer and horrid. What does he mean?”

The old man seemed suddenly to change his mood. He picked up a large cinder and threw it at Dick, hitting him on the head. “You clear out! I’m watchman here, ain’t I? And what did They tell me? They told me to chase away anyone that came. Clear out, I tell you!”

In terror Anne fled away. Timmy growled and would have leapt at the queer old watchman, but George had her hand on his collar. Dick rubbed his head where the cinder had hit him.

“We’re going,” he said, soothingly to Sam. It was plain that the old fellow was queer in his mind. “We didn’t mean to trespass. You look after your spook-trains. We won’t interfere with you.”

The boys and George turned away, and caught up with Anne. “What did he mean?” she asked, scared. “What are spook-trains? Trains that aren’t real? Does he really see them at night?”

“He just imagines them,” said Julian. “I expect being there all alone in that deserted old railway yard has made him think queer things. Don’t worry, Anne. There are no such things as spook-trains.”

“But he spoke as if there were,” said Anne, “he did really. I’d hate to see a spook-train. Wouldn’t you, Ju?”

“No. I’d love to see one,” said Julian, and he turned to Dick. “Wouldn’t you, Dick? Shall we come one night and watch? Just to see?”

Chapter Five

Back at camp again

The children and Timmy left the deserted railway yard behind them and climbed up the heathery slope to find their way back to their camping-place. The boys could not stop talking about Wooden-Leg Sam and the queer things he said.